Chaos grips India’s busiest airports for third straight day as largest airline cancels over 500 flights
India’s largest airline cancels almost 550 flights amid airport chaos
- IndiGo, India's largest airline, cancelled nearly 550 flights on Thursday, causing widespread chaos and stranding thousands of passengers at major airports.
- The cancellations follow over 1,200 flights being cancelled in November, primarily due to new government-mandated Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) for crew.
- IndiGo attributed the disruptions to a combination of new rostering rules, adverse weather conditions, and increased congestion, apologising for the impact.
- The airline admitted to "misjudgment and planning gaps" in implementing the new FDTL rules, which complicated roster management amid an existing pilot shortage.
- Disruptions are expected to continue, with IndiGo seeking a reprieve from the new rules and aiming for full operational restoration by 10 February, while its stock has fallen.